Notes & Observations Practice Report: Day 5

**According to the practice schedule, Thursday was the 5th practice of fall camp. However, yesterday, Lincoln Riley mentioned that Wednesday was the 5th day. So…?

**The sun was out on a warm but not unbearable 80-degree Thursday afternoon for USC’s 2:25 PM practice. Not 2:00, 2:15, or 2:30, however, 2:25. Is this a test of discipline for being on time at any given moment?

**Around 5:15 PM the practice ended.

**Not wanting to be late or fight with the traffic, we arrived by 1:15 to shoot some pics and videos of the players and coaches heading to practice.

**I was reminded of Kobe Bryant and his affinity for USC while walking through the parking structure and saw a license plate displaying, “8 24 GG.” Not sure how the universe really works, however, later the USC basketball sports information director asked me when I was going to make out to basketball practice. The team leaves for Greece & Croatia on Saturday for a tour and to play games.

**Back to football. It’s 1:40 and I’m hoping that one of these days a team assistant will ask the media who stands in the sun reporting on the team if we’d like a smoothie. They look pretty good!

**I spy Ajene Harris and Malik Dorton that will watch practice. Did you know that Ajene is tied for the most pick-6s in USC history?

**The team is dressed in full pads and the first player out is a walk-on WR from La Jolla, CA Jaden Moore.

**Coach Nua has the strut working. During the position group’s drill work, Coach Nua had my attention when they started to hit the sleds. “We’re going full speed *something-something*” and break the f-word sled!!” I love his motivational speeches!

**Kiel McDonald was next and greeted us with the “It’s always a pleasure to see everyone.” He’s on the day’s interview list with the media after practice. Coach McDonald is one of the more straightforward guys you’ll talk with. I asked him about Raleek Brown’s role as a running back in 2023. He produced a big smile and said, “We have some plans for Raleek.” Here is the video interview here.

**The Pac-12 officials are on hand again.

**Excited to see Jude Wolfe working with the TEs, I just wish he’d walk across the street while wearing cleats. It’s my don’t run with scissors in your hand rule. After practice, Lake McRee spent a few minutes talking about both of their roles.

**Mason Murphy was up next out. He’s practicing at both tackle spots and is playing with more confidence. During the offseason, there was a meeting of the minds and they talked about what Mason needed to do to take the next step. Murphy is dedicating more time to the weight room and he said it is helping him learn how to use his length better.

**Caleb Williams spoke highly about his Oline and what’s ahead for him and getting better. He also mentioned the guys on the other side being disruptive like Anthony Lucas.

**Eric Gentry has the Brian Bosworth 1/2 jersey look working for him. When you’re 6′-7″ there is a lot of his 6-pack abs exposed, and where’s the neck roll?

**The jug machine was punting and kicking to, Zachariah Branch, Dorian Singer, Quinten Joyner, Makai Lemon, and Michael Jackson III. When it was the punt drill part, Coach Luke Huard would play dodgeball with the receiver. The drill is set up for the receiver to make a quick first step and make the defender miss.

**11 on-Air walk-thru had Dorian Singer, Mario Williams, Raleek Brown, and Kyron Hudson at WR, Austin Jones at RB, and the same 1st team Oline throughout camp during the media portion. L–R: Jonah Monheim, Gino Quinones, Justin Dedich, Jarrett Kingston, and Michael Tarquin.

**The 2nd unit included Michael Jackson III, Zach Branch, Brenden Rice, and MarShawn Lloyd at the skill spots with Elijah Paige, Emmanuel Pregnon, Killian O’Connor, Andrew Milek, and Mason Murphy blocking.

**The 3rd unit Oline are members of the freshmen Oline class and Cooper Lovelace at RT. Cooper is what many would call fun to talk with.

**Every time I see the Oline I’m reminded of how much bigger they are and that includes the freshmen class. Alani Noa & Amos Talalele are receiving a lot of praise from their older teammates.

No. 75 Amos Talalele & No. 77 Alani Noa

**During their drill work the Oline worked on run blocking and directing the defender where they wanted him to go.

**Josh Henson’s first words after practice when asked how the day went said, “I thought the Dline was more physical than we were. *dramatic pause*”

**Watch the interview, Coach Henson needs and wants more from his group. It got to the point where he was so frustrated with freshman Elijah Paige that he made an example out of him in front of his teammates with some choice words. Henson said that Elijah went out and had his best two reps of fall camp right after the tongue-lashing. But not until he was “pissed off” at his position coach.

**THIS IS A MUST-WATCH INTERVIEW!!!!

**The Rush Edgers are working on dipping their shoulders to get shorten their distance to the ball carrier in the backfield. Every drill ends with a wrap-up of some kind simulating a tackle.

**The Linebackers and Dlinemen are practicing deep in left field on Dedeaux. One person stands in front of the crashpad cushion and another player takes a 3-4 step run before wrapping, lifting, and finishing with a violent tackle. Besides the initial impact of the hit, at least the landing is soft.

**The DLine, LBs, and Rush position guys are working on different types and styles of gap control assignment reads.

**With the team in full pads they did some scrimmage work that had the crowd noise being pumped in for that game-day effect.

**You could tell that it was a long and physical practice when the media came back for the interviews. The practice officially started at 2:25, and it ended after 5:00 but guys were still putting in work afterwards.

**The practice ended around 5:15.

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